SLAM! Sports
SLAM! Basketball
COLUMNS
NBA
COLLEGE
WOMEN
CBA
INTERACTIVE
ALSO ON SLAM!
Virtue isn't skin deep
Raptors' Antonio Davis one of the true good guys
In many ways, Antonio Davis is the anti-NBA player.
Too often these days, the image of a pro basketball player is one of running afoul of the law, being petulant and disrespectful.
About the only connection Davis shares with today's player is the tattoo he sports on his muscular right biceps.
Moreover, Davis' tattoo embodies the essence of who he is. It's not a sign of rebellion or insecurity, or some gang association.
In Davis' case, the tattoo -- a heart and rose pattern encircled by a banner bearing the names of his wife, Kendra, and twins, son Antonio Jr. and daughter Kaela -- is a symbol of pride and love for family and a daily reminder of what is important in Davis' life.
"I appreciate everything,'' Davis begins in a soft, engaging voice that belies his powerful built.
"I'm blessed to have a family. I am blessed to be doing something many, many people only dream of doing. It's not about the money. Yes, I'm glad that I'm able to have nice things, support my family and help my mom (Alice) because I love that.
SHOULD BE CHEERED
"But I don't take advantage of anything. I appreciate every little thing about the game, from drinking the Gatorade, the water, the whole nine yards.''
Antonio Davis is someone who should be cheered and admired because he's genuine and authentic.
Much like his hard-nosed, no-nonsense game, there's nothing flashy or phoney about him.
Unlike Charles Barkley, Davis relishes the role of being a role model. He is both gracious and accommodating, powerful on the court, passionate off it.
"When you're on the court, you're able to release things that get you mad,'' Davis says. "You can focus it on pushing Alonzo (Miami's Mourning) around, diving for a rebound, or going up for a dunk.
"But once I get off the court, I'm not Antonio Davis, power forward-slash-centre for the Toronto Raptors. I'm a husband and I'm a father. You just take one hat and put on another. It's hard sometimes because sometimes you're just so upset. I've learned to sit down and cool down until I'm able to go out and be a loving husband and a loving father.''
For Davis, family is important because he was deprived of a normal household when his dad, Arthur, was killed during a violent struggle in 1986, just as Antonio was about to graduate from McClymonds High School in Oakland, Calif.
Arthur Davis, Antonio recalls, was a big, intimidating individual. On the night of his death, Arthur Davis was in a fight.
"I think this person got intimidated by my dad's size and pulled a knife on him. It was over,' Davis remembers, the pain of the past still clear in his eyes.
"I lost something to a knife that I can never get back. My father's death helped me grow stronger. I realized the value of every minute you spend on this earth. It helped with my relationship with my (younger) brother (Charles). I can grab him by the hand, hug him and tell him that I love him because my father never had that chance to express himself.''
In Indianapolis, Davis often appeared in TV commercials, lecturing kids on the dangers of carrying guns and other weapons.
The loss of his dad also made Davis become a better father to his children.
"It's important to show love to my kids. I'm supposed to be the quote, unquote, father figure, head of the family that's supposed to be strong, but I want to hold the hands of my kids and hug them because my family is so important.''
It took awhile for Davis to embrace his new home in Toronto after spending the first six years of his NBA career in Indiana.
When he joined the Raptors in August, Davis recalls how he was pointed by the team to Harbourfront, where many of Toronto's NBA players live.
"If I was single, I wouldn't care about living in a condo,'' Davis says. "With family, it's important to have room. I wanted my kids to stretch out and my wife to get away to be by herself. We kept looking north until we found something we liked.''
Davis settled for a home in North York. He bought it, showing a commitment to the area and to the franchise that never has been seen before.
His home in Indianapolis, where Davis invited high-schooler and former Pacers teammate Al Harrington to live, will soon be sold as will the trendy women's boutique Kendra Davis operates.
Davis plays his old team for the first time next Tuesday, but the memories of his Indiana days linger.
For starters, he met his wife when Pacers forward Dale Davis introduced Kendra, a former model and Miss Teen contestant, to Antonio 61/2 years ago.
Antonio Davis could have remained a Pacer, but the lure of challenging oneself was too appealing.
"Too many times basketball players are stuck in their old ways,'' says Davis, who played in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final four times as a Pacer. "When things around them are going so smooth, they can get in and get their minutes, play great and feel comfortable.
"I'm not comfortable in that situation. Every day in practice I'm learning something knew, I'm learning how to use my left hand, dribble a basketball a little better, some new post moves with a coach.
"I feel I have to be eager to learn, excited about the game. The minute I feel I'm not excited, then I know it's time to stop, that's the only way I can judge how long I want to play. It's just like life because every day you're learning something new. You have to be excited about getting up in the morning.''
When he came out of college, Davis' skills as a player were too raw and unrefined for the NBA level, so he headed for Europe. In three seasons, Davis made roughly $1 million US.
While the European experience helped Davis' game, it also reinforced one of his lifestyle choices.
Davis is an non-smoker. In Europe, players would light up at half time.
As a kid, Davis, who grew up in a family of smokers, learned not to smoke, but only after his mom gathered every cigarette in the house and locked Antonio in a room, where he didn't emerge until he was sick.
TRIED TOO HARD
"I threw up the entire next day, but my mom cared so much that she would go to any extreme for me.''
Davis learned something new when he first met his Raptors teammates. Admittedly, Davis says he tried too hard to make an impression.
"I can recall having dinner with Butch (Raptors coach Carter) or talking to him on the phone,'' says Davis. "He was telling me to relax. He said I was brought here for a reason and that I wasn't going to be punished for making a mistake. I appreciated that.''
Once he settled down, Davis grew more comfortable with his new team and new surroundings.
Coming from the hoops hotbed of Indiana, Davis also has noticed a change in the way the Raptors are viewed in a market dominated by hockey.
"At first, people knew I was a Raptor because I was tall, but now they recognize the excitement we're generating,'' Davis says. "You see the attention hockey receives here and it drives you to make the playoffs because that's the same type of respect we want.''
Being who is, Davis will likely get that respect.
PROFILE
BORN: Oct. 31, 1968, Oakland, Calif.; Ht/Wt: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds
Position: Forward/Centre
How He Was Acquired: Traded from Indiana for the draft rights to Jonathan Bender on Aug. 1.
Contract Status: Seven-year, $35 million US deal expires following 2002-03 season.
Just The Facts: After graduating from Texas El Paso in 1990, spent three seasons playing in Europe (two in Greece, one in Italy)...Davis was drafted 45th overall and was traded for a fifth-overall pick ... filled in for an injured Doug Christie in the 1994 slam-dunk competition ... before undergoing back and knee surgery, Davis could dunk on 12-foot baskets ... streak of playing 294 consecutive games ended when he missed one game last season because of a knee sprain...member of the players' negotiating committee during NBA lockout and member of league's rules committee.
Quote: "After being loyal to the Indiana Pacers for six years, it was time to be loyal to Antonio Davis.''
What They're Saying About Him: "Antonio is a guy who comes to play every night. He's not selfish and he wants to see the team have success. You need guys like that around.'' -- former Pacers teammate Jalen Rose.
 Bert's back on blades Blue Jays boot game Bombers drop Peterson Felicien rebuilds race | Visit our Polls Archive |